New Single “The City” Featuring Alicia Witt
Producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Bradford is drawing from Hollywood’s golden age of film scores and mixing it with modern downtempo grit on his latest single, “The City.” The track, which arrives September 19 along with a video, offers a dark, hypnotic atmosphere rooted in cinematic noir and guided by dub and trip-hop rhythms.
“The City” is the newest preview of Bradford’s forthcoming album The Man Behind the Curtain, set for release on October 17. The project reimagines the dramatic orchestral world of composer Bernard Herrmann, best known for his work on Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Vertigo and The Birds, through the lens of contemporary electronic music.
In the song, Bradford deconstructs Herrmann’s ominous score for Psycho and rebuilds it with reggae-tinged grooves, inspired by his early years performing with Leroy Sibbles and The Heptones. Actress and singer-songwriter Alicia Witt (Longlegs, Orange Is the New Black, Justified) adds an ethereal vocal line, weaving in phrases from the Psycho script.
“‘The City’ is my attempt to capture the drama, tension and beauty of cinema, while layering in rhythms that keep it connected to the grit and sense of foreboding inherent in city life, especially after dark,” Bradford said.
Bradford has long balanced a dual career in popular music and film. Early work with pop, jazz and rock acts led to a role alongside composer Paul Buckmaster (12 Monkeys, David Bowie, Elton John). He went on to contribute to projects with Ringo Starr, Anita Baker, Dave Stewart and Madonna, as well as music for films such as Mission Impossible 2, Oliver Stone’s Any Given Sunday, American Pie 2 and Sweet Home Alabama.
With The Man Behind the Curtain, Bradford pays tribute to Herrmann while pulling his timeless motifs into the 21st century. The album will be accompanied by a podcast, visual album and a national Performing Arts Center tour beginning this fall with a preview performance in Cleveland.
Follow Michael Bradford on Instagram: @michaelbradfordmusic and YouTube: Michael Bradford Official
